I've never shot the current issue handgun of the US Military. I need to remedy that. Or at least familiarize myself with it's feature and how to field strip it. That can be done with some research.
When I was in the Navy, the issue handgun was the Beretta 92 (aka M9, aka a lot of other variants of same...), but the Navy wasn't on the top of the list for the new pistol so we made do with M1911A1s. That's what I qualified on. I am pretty familiar with the 1911 at this point.
It looks simple enough. DA/SA, safety-decocker looks ambidestrous. The slide release and takedown lever thingy look ordinary and straight forward. 15 round magazines
Magazine safety? Can it fire with a round in the chamber but no magazine present? Dunno.
Field stripping... well, I can't figure that out unless I have one. But it looks easy. I'd just have to pay attention when taking it down to be sure I'd put stuff back in facing the correct direction. Look like 4 parts aside from the frame. Barrel, slide, guiderod, and spring. Easy enough.
All Right, That's Enough
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12 comments:
Damn it. You're right. I'm in the same boat (old 1911). Hmmm. Maybe some Kind Person will bring one to one of the Shoots so we can get an Intro? Never can tell when we might have to strip one off the Corpse of a Dead Soldier during the Zombie Apocalypse.
Beretta 92 is on my want list. I have a model 96 and a Px4. They both field strip the same basically.
I've fired a Px4 Storm. It was a delight.
My Px4 is a .40 and the only thing I would change is the direction required to disengage the safety.
It is the opposite from my 1911.
I do kinda want a Beretta 92G Elite II, but that's pretty far down my wishlist.
Shot some of the test articles... Far as I'm concerned, it's a POS... Slides kept cracking due to opening up ejection ports. Stick with the 1911, you'll be better off!
I have to disagree with Old NFO on one of these rare occasions.
The slides are better now, and while I opposed the switch from the 1911 and hated the Beretta just for being the replacement, I've come to love and adore MY Beretta 92, because it has a great trigger, good sights, and it shoots forever from it's 15rd. magazine. A little bulky and heavy for concealed carry, but an excellent pistol nonetheless.
T-bolt,
I carry an M9 on a daily basis here in Iraq. Your supposition is correct: it is a simple, straight forward pistol with no major quirks so I wouldn't lose too much sleep over lack of familiarity with it. With your baseline understanding of firearms, it would take you all of about ten seconds to figure it out if you had to.
It has no magazine safety so it DOES fire without a magazine (a wise feature in a combat pistol in my opinion). It is extremely simple to strip and is reliable as long as you have good magazines (I use civilian Beretta mags). Early issues with the slides were solved over twenty years ago.
Although I personally wouldn't own one due to the double action trigger and safety/decocker position, these are simply matters of preference and in no way detract from my confidence in the weapon.
There have been some complaints about caliber but I believe that they are ill-informed. As with any handgun (.45s included) shot placement is critical. I myself find fifteen (and in the case of my magazines, seventeen) rounds on tap comforting when compared to seven.
Murph, we'll have to agree to disagree on this one :-)
@ Old NFO: Well come on out here again and shoot this one. Bring T-Bolt.
I've got a M9A1 (Marine Corps version with an adjusted feed ramp angle, mags that are supposed to do better than "standard" in the sand, and a rail). You can always hit me up if you want to go to the range and play with it.
Although I carry and do most of my shooting with an M&P9 now, the Beretta 92 will always be my top pistol. I have a 92 Centurion with over 5,000 rounds through it without a hiccup. Early in my Marine Corps days, I put over 50,000 rounds through a single issued M9 and never once had a problem with it. And with 30 other guys in my unit putting the same number of rounds through their issued M9, I never saw them have an issue either. And I would be conservative to say that I have another 10K through a dozen other issued M9s and never had a problem. The only time I have ever seen a problem, it was due to bad magazines or a bad round.
The only guys I have ever heard of really having problems were some SEALS and Marine Recon guys hating them. This was due to the open slide and sand.
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